“In trials, Sony’s Network Walkman performed like the high-end device that it is. If you’ve never used an iPod before, then there certainly is a lot to like… While smaller is generally better, the iPod display screen is bigger and clearer, thus modestly easier to read. And its sleek white-and-stainless-steel exterior is more refreshing and exciting than the boring brushed-steel-and-black surfaces that dominate most of Sony’s consumer electronics,” Mark Hazlin reports for Forbes.
“It’s strange that Sony, which is a record company in its own right, hasn’t done a better job with its store: Its software didn’t work terribly well, gave error messages and froze when burning CDs. Of course, the same issues pop up with iTunes as well. It seems there are plenty of bugs to go around on both sides,” Hazlin writes.
“The Network Walkman’s $400 price tag gives the iPod the edge. Apple’s 40-GB iPod goes for the same price. Sony’s player should be about $100 cheaper. Overall, despite many good points, the Walkman falls short of the iPod. Sony can do better, but has yet to get its formula right. Given a choice, go with the iPod,” Hazlin reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: iTunes on Mac OS X has never given us error messages or frozen while burning CDs. Perhaps Hazlin is using iTunes on some other platform that is presenting problems not of iTunes’ making? Otherwise, good advice: get an iPod over a Sony Walkman.
